Object-carrier for perimeters.



Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

E. B. MEYROWITZ.

OBJECT CARRIER FOR PERIMETERS.

4 APPLICATION HLED MAR.3.1915.

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f as e EMIL B. MEYROWITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T GENERAL OPTICAL COMPANY, INC., .A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

OBJECT-CARRIER FOR PERIMETERS.

Application led March 3, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMIL B. Mnvnowrrz, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhat tan, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ubject-Carriers for Perimeters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an object or color carrier which is mounted upon the arc of a perimeter and is of the type which has a plurality of test objects usually comprising differently colored surfaces which are adapted to be exposed, one at a time, to the view of a patient.

rlhe object of the invention is to enable the physician, or person manipulating the instrument, to expose the different test objects, one at a time, without requiring him to touch the carrier with his lingers, or to otherwise distract the patients attention, and also to permit him to effect the change with ease and without withdrawing his attention from the test he is conducting.

yFliese objects are accomplished by providing an actuating mechanism for moving each of the test objects to exposed position, which includes a manually operable part disposed at a distance from the carrier and in a position to be conveniently reached by the operator.

In the preferred form of the invention, the object carrier usually comprises a concealed movable plate or disk having a plus ralty of test objects or colored surfaces thereon and a device for imparting to the plate or disk a step by step movement for successively moving the test objects to an exposed position behind a suitable opening in the carrier together with a connection, preferably flexible, leading therefrom to a manually operable part on a member adapted to be held in the hand of the operator during the test, whereby he may vary atwill the test object which is exposed. Two such mechanisms may be employed to impart tov the plateV or disk a movement in opposite directions whereby the operator may cause the test objects or colored surfaces to appear before the opening in an infinite number of different orders of succession, making it impossible for the patient to intentionally or unconsciously learn and remember the order in which the test objects are exposed.

1n the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 11,891.

shows a perimeter having associated therewith my improved form of object carrier; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the object carrier and its actuating mechanism, as well as a portion of the arc of a perimeter; Fig. 3 is a detail of the object carrier with its front face plate removed and a portion of the disk which conceals the color disk being broken away to more clearly show the parts; Fig. 4 is a detail showing the device for imparting a step by step movement to the color disk; Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the carrier, as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a detail showing in section the hand member and the manually operable part carried thereby; and Fig. 7 is a detail partly in section of the connection between the fiexible cable and the pawl of the step by step device.

The improved form of object or color carrier which forms the basis of the present inventon isadapted to be used with any of the known forms of perimeters and I have, for illustrative purposes, shown the same in connection with a perimeter similar to that described in the patent granted to William Berg, No. 1,113,091, patented October 6,1914, the general construction of which comprises the usual metallic arc 1, which isrevolubly mounted in a bearing 2 carried by a suitable support 3 to the front end of which is joined an upstanding arm or standard 4 carrying an adjustable chin-rest 5. Adapted to slide in a suitable groove or slot in the arc 1 is a rack 6 (see Fig. 5) which through a suitable connection is adapted to be moved up and down in its groove or slot by the revoluble hand-member 7. The object carrier is secured to the rack 6 by means of screws 8, and is therefore moved to the desired position upon the arc 1. The hand member 7 also moves the recording member 9 which is adapted to mark the position of the object carrier upon a chart carried on the pivotally mounted plate 10.

The object carrier comprises a flat base plate 11, having side flanges 11 which fit loosely over the edges of the metallic arc 1, and which prevent it from turning onthe arc. Secured to and spaced from this plate is a front face plate 12 for the carrier. ln the space between these plates is a color disk 13 having a hub 14 which is rotatably mounted on a stud 15 which also serves to .hold the plates rigidly spaced apart.

is divided into sectors 16, 17, 18 and 19, which are colored white, red, green and blue, respectively, and constitute the different test objects. Positioned upon a reduced portion of the stud to the front of the color disk, which it conceals, is a second disk 20, which is preferably separated from the color disk by a thin washer 21 so as to prevent frictional contact between the disks upon the independent rotation of the color disk. The disk 20 is provided with a plurality of spacedl circular openings,y 20 which are of different diameters and which are adapted to be brought into alinement with a similar opening21 in the front 'face plate, to expose one of the color surfaces or test objects to the view of the patient, the opening in the face plate being of slightly larger diameter thany the largest of the openings 20. The edge of the disk 20 which lis of slightly greater diameter than the `width of the front plate 12, is serratedor roughened so that it may be engaged by the finger of the operator to bring the desired opening 20 into alinement with the opening 21 in the face plate, the disk being held against independent or inadvertent rotation by. means of a small leaf-spring 23 secured to the face plate, the end of which is bent and-somewhat pointed and extends `down through a suitable openingin the faceplate to engagea depression 24 in theface ofthe disk 20. Itis of course understood that the disk 20 is initially placed with the` desired opening in alinement with the opening 21 and is not changed thereafter during a single test upon the eye.

Heretofore, so far as I, am aware color carriers of a construction in general similar to the carrier so far described have VVbeen used and 'the color disk 13 has been manually rotated to bring the various colored surfaces or test objects carried by it behind :the alining openings 'in thejfacev plate and disk. 1n my improved form of object carrier, the color disk is automatically rotated by a mechanism which is manuallyoperable from a point at ya distance from the carrier. One construction by which this can *be accomplished is illustrated, and includes a device for imparting a step `by step rotation to the color disk. This device consists of a ratchet wheel 26 preferably formed integral with the color disk and in the form shown c onsists o f a four pointedstar Wheel, the disk coming to rest with lthe points of two of the arms of the wheel resting against a limit pawl 27 which is pressed against the wheel 26 by means of a leaf-spring 28 secured .to

the base plate 11of they object carrier. A step 'by step movement is imparted kto this wheel in one direction by the reciprocation of a fiat pa-wl 30 which has secured thereto a plunger rod-31 and head 32 (see Fig. 7 which' 'are slidably fitted in. a tubular easing 33secured'to the base plate in such a manner ling the plunger exerts its tension in a direction to force the pawl 30 away from the ratchet wheel 26. rlhe pawl is moved into engagement with the ratchet wheel by means of a ieXible wire cable 37 which is covered with a suitable sheathing 33 having attached thereto a hollow coupling member 39, which screws into the open end of the cylindrical casing 33, the flexible cable extending through this member and having a terminal knob or head 40 which bears directly against the head 32 of the plunger. rlhe iexible cable is connected at its other end to a second plunger rod 41 (see Fig. 6) having a plunger head 42, which parts are slidably mounted in a second cylindrical easing 43 carried by a block 44. Surrounding this plunger rod and inclosed within the casing is a spring 45 which exerts its tension upon the plunger head and rod to move the same to its outmost position in the casing or in a direction opposite to that in which the cable is moved to actuate the star wheel. Movement in the latter direction is accomplished by means of a manually operable push pin 46 which passes through a suitable opening in a bushing 4G on the block 45 and surrounds rthe outer end of the casing 43. The pin 46 is provided with a head 46 positioned in the interior of the casing, which prevents its inadvertent displacement and which rests against the head 42 of the plunger. llVhen vthe push pin 46 is pressed inwardly, therefore, its motion will be communicated through the fiexible cable, which, at its other end, engages the plunger head 32, and will force the pawl into engagement with the star wheel 26 and rotate it one step and afterward the springs 35 and 45 in the casings described will return all the parts to their normal or inoperative position. Upon successive operations of the push pin, the color disk may be rotated by a step by step movement to bring its various colored surfaces 16, 17, etc., or test objects, into view through the openings in the face plate 12 and disk 20.

While the construction described may alone be used, it is desirable to provide a second mechanism which is similar in all respects to that described, for rotating the wheel in the opposite direction, the same ment.

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rllhe operation of the device is obvious from the construction described. The ilexible cables 37 and 4:8 are made of suiiicient length to permit of the object carrier being moved along the arc to any desired position, while the block 44C is held stationary in the hand of the operator. "When the change of the test object is desired, as for example, if the white surface 16 is before the openings in the face plate and disk, the operator presses upon one of the push pins, say 46, which brings the red surface 17 before the opening. He may then again push on the pin 46 and bring the green surface 18 before the opening and thereafter push upon the pin 50, which will rotate the disk one step in the opposite direction and again expose the red surface 17 before the opening. This will prevent the person whose eyes are tested from memorizing the consecutive order in which the colors appear before the opening, which would be possible if the disk were only rotated in one direction, when the color would successively appear before the opening. By rotating the disk in both directions, the order of succession in which different test objects or colored surfaces appear before the opening may be infinitely varied.

While 1 have shown one specific embodiment of theinvention, it is apparent that the test objects carried by the object carrier could be actuated by various dierent constructions and yet come within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. The combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a plurality of movably mounted test objects adapted to be exposed one at a time upon said carrier, and an actuating mechanism operable from a point at a distance from said carrier for moving the test objects to their exposed positions.

2. The combinationwith a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a plurality of movably mounted test objects adapted to be successively exposed upon said carrier, and an actuating mechanism operable from a point at a distance from said carrier for successively moving the test objects to their exposed positions.

3. The combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a concealed movable plate carrying a plurality of test objects adapted to be exposed one at a time through an opening in said carrier, and an actuating mechanism operable from a point at a distance from said carrier for imparting an intermittent movement to said plate to expose said test objects one at a time behind said opening.

4. The combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a concealed movable. plate carrying a plurality of test objects adapted to be exposed one at a time through Van opening in said carrier, an actuating mechanism comprising a device mounted on said carrier for imparting a `step by step movement to said plate, a manually operable part disposed at a distance from said carrier, and connections between said device and part for transmitting the movement of said part to said device.

5. The combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a concealed movable plate carrying a plurality of test objects adapted to be exposed one at a time through an opening in said carrier, an actuating mechanism comprising a device mounted on said carrier for imparting a step by step movement to said plate, a manually operable part disposed at a distance from said carrier, and flexible connections between said device and part for transmitting the movement of said part to said device.

6. rIhe combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a concealed disk having a plurality of colored surfaces or test objects adapted to be rotated to expose said objects or surfaces one at a time before an opening in said carrier, and an actuating mechanism operable from a point at a distance from said carrier for rotating said disk.

7. The combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a concealed rotary disk having a plurality of colored surfaces or test objects adapted to be exposed one at a time through an opening in said object carrier, an actuating mechanism for said disk comprising a device mounted on said carrier for imparting a step by step rotation to said disk, a manually operable part disposed at a distance from said carrier, and power transmitting means connecting said part and device.

8. r1`he combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon ccmprising a concealed rotary disk having a plurality of colored surfaces or test objects adapted to be exposed one at a time through an opening in said object carrier, an actuating mechanism for said disk comprising a device mounted on said carrier for imparting a step by step rotation to said disk, a manually operable part disposed at a distance from said carrier, and power transmit ting means comprising a fiexible connection between said part and device for imparting a movement of said part to said device.

9. The combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a rotary disk carrying a plurality of test objects adapted to be rotated to expose the objects one at a time behind an opening in the carrier, and means including two manually' operable parts disposed at a distance from said carrier for rota-ting thedisk in ropposite directions.

10. The combination with a perimeter having an arc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a plurality of inovably mounted test objects adapted to be exposed one at a time on said carrier, and an actuating niechanisin operable from a pointl at a distance from said. carrier for moving the test objects to their exposed positions in different orders of succession.

1l. Thecombination Withaperimeter having anarc, of an object carrier thereon comprising a plurality of movably mounted test Copiesof this `patent may be obtained for Yobjects adapted to be successively yexposed upon said carrier, and an actuating mechanism operable at will from a point at a distance from-said carrier for successively moving the test objects to their exposed positions and for varying at Will the order of succession in which said objects appear.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

EMIL B. MEYROVVITZ.

1Witnesses MAX LUE CKER, ALBERT DITZ.

ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

